Funnel visualization with data point animations and pathways

ABSTRACT

A plurality of visualization objects may be provided for representing one or more data sets in a virtual 3D space. The visualization objects may include funnels, containers, name cards, and so forth. The visualization objects can be arranged in a circular carousel that can be rotated around a position of a virtual camera or user in a VR/AR environment. Individual data points in the visualization objects can be rotated, sized, positioned, colored, or otherwise characterized based on attributes of the corresponding data points. Individual data points can also be animated as transitioning between visualization objects in a unified view. Voice commands can be interpreted as part of an interactive environment that can provide views of the visualization objects to multiple devices simultaneously.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a non-provisional application of, and claimsthe benefit and priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/748,504, filed Oct. 21, 2018, entitled “3DVISUALIZATION SERVICES INTEGRATING VARIOUS DATA SOURCES AND DISPLAYDEVICES,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein byreference for all purposes.

The present application is also related to the following four US patentapplications:

-   -   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/658,162 filed on Oct. 21,        2019 entitled “INTERACTIVE DATA EXPLORER AND 3-D DASHBOARD        ENVIRONMENT” by Moroze et al., which is incorporated herein in        its entirety.    -   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/658,169 filed on Oct. 21,        2019 entitled “OPTIMIZING VIRTUAL DATA VIEWS USING VOICE        COMMANDS AND DEFINED PERSPECTIVES” by Moroze et al., which is        incorporated herein in its entirety.    -   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/658,177 filed on Oct. 21,        2019 entitled “ANIMATION BETWEEN VISUALIZATION OBJECTS IN A        VIRTUAL DASHBOARD” by Moroze et al., which is incorporated        herein in its entirety.    -   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/658,180 filed on Oct. 21,        2019 entitled “DATA VISUALIZATION OBJECTS IN A VIRTUAL        ENVIRONMENT” by Moroze et al., which is incorporated herein in        its entirety.

BACKGROUND

One of the most effective ways to convey formation is throughvisualization. Capturing and categorizing information is typically notsufficient to gain a full understanding of conclusions that may be drawnfrom the data. Although two-dimensional data visualizations dominatemuch of our communication technology, many of these visualizationtechniques are not optimized for highlighting or emphasizing aspects ofthe data collection. Effective data visualization involves creatinginformative visuals that communicate an aspect of the data very quickly.At times, simple visualizations are sufficient. However, with complexmultidimensional data, the complexity of the data set itself may makeadequate visualization difficulty limited dimensional spaces.

SUMMARY

A method for generating a visualization object from a set of data pointsmay include receiving one or more data sets; generating a plurality of3D objects corresponding to data points in the one or more data sets;arranging the plurality of 3D objects in a predetermined 3D shape; andcontrolling the appearance and position of the 3D objects within thepredetermined 3D shape based on attribute values for the correspondingdata points.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium may include instructions that,when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or moreprocessors to perform operations including receiving one or more datasets; generating a plurality of 3D objects corresponding to data pointsin the one or more data sets; arranging the plurality of 3D objects in apredetermined 3D shape; and controlling the appearance and position ofthe 3D objects within the predetermined 3D shape based on attributevalues for the corresponding data points.

A system may include one or more processors and one or more memorydevices that may include instructions that, when executed by the one ormore processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operationsincluding receiving one or more data sets; generating a plurality of 3Dobjects corresponding to data points in the one or more data sets;arranging the plurality of 3D objects in a predetermined 3D shape; andcontrolling the appearance and position of the 3D objects within thepredetermined 3D shape based on attribute values for the correspondingdata points.

In any embodiments any of the following features may be implemented inany combination and without limitation. The predetermined 3D shape mayinclude a funnel object. The 3D objects may include spheres that arearranged to form the funnel object. The spheres may rotate around acircumference of the funnel object. The spheres may rotate at a speedand/or radius that is determined by the attribute values for thecorresponding data points. The spheres may be colored based on theattribute values of the corresponding data points. The funnel object maybe divided into a plurality of sections. The plurality of 3D objects maybe located in the plurality of sections based on the attribute valuesfor the corresponding data points. The method/operations may alsoinclude inserting timestamps into the predetermined 3D shape at aplurality of points along the animation or path. The animation mayinclude the 3D object rotating around the predetermined 3D shape overtime. A speed of the animation may be based on attributes of thecorresponding data points in the one or more data sets. The animation orpath may be represented by a spline object in a virtual environment. Themethod/operations may also include providing a plurality of views of theplurality of 3D objects in a virtual environment to a plurality ofclient devices. The plurality of client devices may include a virtualreality headset.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the presentinvention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of thespecification and the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are usedthroughout the several drawings to refer to similar components. In someinstances, a sub-label is associated with a reference numeral to denoteone of multiple similar components. When reference is made to areference numeral without specification to an existing sub-label, it isintended to refer to all such multiple similar components.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system for authoring, providing, and usinginteractive data displays, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a virtual object that has been bound toan enterprise data set, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates a user interface for importing components from thecomponent exchange into an application.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a process for downloading andinstantiating a component in an application, according to someembodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates a virtual dashboard created in the virtualenvironment, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 6 illustrates how various types of client device systems and inputdevices can all interface simultaneously with the same virtualenvironment in the EDIE environment, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 7 illustrates a view of the virtual environment through a 2D screeninterface, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates a view of the virtual environment with a plurality ofusers interacting with a virtual dashboard, according to someembodiments.

FIG. 9 illustrates a view of a real-world environment that may be usedto interact with the virtual environment, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart of a method for displaying data in themulti-dimensional dashboard, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a visualization object in the form ofa funnel, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 12 illustrates how data points can be visualized using thresholdsand other mechanisms to generate visual exceptions in the data set,according to some embodiments.

FIG. 13 illustrates a control panel for the funnel and how size, color,and stage details can be added to the animation of the funnel, accordingto some embodiments.

FIG. 14 illustrates a flowchart of a method for generating avisualization object from a set of data points, according to someembodiments.

FIG. 15 illustrates an on-axis view of the funnel, according to someembodiments.

FIG. 16 illustrates a visualization of how the motion and/or animationof a data point can be tracked over time as attribute values for thecorresponding data point change, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 17 illustrates a on-axis view of the funnel depicted in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 illustrates a flowchart of a method for representing datachanges over time, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 19 depicts a simplified diagram of a distributed system forimplementing some of the embodiments.

FIG. 20 is a simplified block diagram of one or more components of asystem environment by which services provided by one or more componentsof an embodiment system may be offered as cloud services, according tosome embodiments.

FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary computer system, in which variousembodiments may be implemented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein, are embodiments for an immersive user interface (UI)experience. The immersive user interface experience may be wrapped asindividual components that can be inserted into a component exchange orclearinghouse that can later be used by application developers orservice developers to add interactive UI components to theirapplications or services. These UI components can be used todifferentiate applications in a crowded marketplace and to provide auser-friendly, interactive, immersive experience that provides detailedand intuitive data visualization for many different data types on manydifferent user devices.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system for authoring, providing, and usinginteractive data displays, according to some embodiments. The system mayinclude a component exchange 124. The component exchange 124 may be partof an application development suite that allows users to developapplications and/or services using a custom development environment anda library of predefined tools and/or interfaces. The applicationdevelopment suite may be a cloud-hosted development environment that maybe accessible as a Software as a Service (SaaS) model for many differentclient devices. The development environment may be configured to developand/or deploy many different types of applications, includingcloud-based services or micro services, web applications, mobile deviceapplications, enterprise applications, and/or the like. Applicationsdesigned in the application development suite may be integrated withother SaaS applications through Representational State Transfer (REST)interfaces.

The development environment in the application development suite mayinclude a number of user-friendly tools that may be used by developersto streamline the development process and make the overall applicationdevelopment cycle more efficient. These tools may include WYSIWYG toolsand other graphical interfaces that allow developers to drag-and-dropvarious prepackaged components into an application development space.Various components may be offered by the development environment, suchas reusable business objects, processes, web controls, user interfacecontrols, themes, templates, and other aspects of an application.

A developer may use the development environment to design and test anapplication, and then the application may be deployed to variousoperating environments. When the application is deployed to an operatingenvironment, the development environment may also deploy any additionalcode or libraries required by the application such that it can operatein the target environment. Thus, the flexibility and reusable componentsprovided by the development environment can be ported to any operatingenvironment without losing any of the functionality provided by thedevelopment environment.

In this example, the development environment may include a componentexchange. For example, the development environment may be implementedusing any commercially available development environment, such as VisualBuilder® from Oracle®. The development environment may include varioustoolkits, such as collections of proprietary and/or open sourceJavaScript libraries that may be used to build applications. Forexample, the development environment may include components from theJavaScript Extension Toolkit (JET)® from Oracle®. Components in thesetoolkits may include a rich set of user interface (UI) components thatinclude data models, view models, and ports for binding data to thecomponents. In some embodiments, the development environment may providea unified component plug-in mechanism based on standard components, suchas the W3C Web Components standard, while still allowing customcomponents to work alongside standard components.

The component exchange 124 may allow component developers to uploadcomponents to the component exchange 124 for use by applicationdevelopers. This allows component developers to provide flexiblecomponent architectures that can be maintained and upgraded throughoutthe component lifecycle. For example, these components may includestandard web components, such as a checkbox component 116 or a slidercomponent 114 that may be used in various user interfaces. Thesecomponents 114, 116 can be uploaded to the component exchange 124 andthen updated and maintained throughout their lifecycle by componentdevelopment teams. They may then be provided as components 121, 122 inthe component exchange 124 for application developers.

In addition to standard web components, the embodiments described hereinallow users to develop special visualization objects that can be used inan Enterprise Data Interactive Explorer (EDIE) environment. Thesevisualization objects provide multidimensional views of enterprise datasets that may be simultaneously viewed by a plurality of client devicesthrough separate network connections. These visualization objects can beimported into the component exchange 124 in the same manner as standardweb components are imported into the component exchange 124. Thesevisualization objects can then imported into individual applicationsunder development. In those applications, developers can bind variousenterprise data sets from any number of different sources toparameterized inputs on the visualization objects. The visualizationobjects can then be used to generate rendered views of virtual objectsthat represent and visualize the enterprise data in a multidimensionalenvironment.

Various examples of these visualization objects may be described ingreater detail below in this disclosure. FIG. 1 illustrates a fewexamples of visualization objects that can be imported into thecomponent exchange 124 as regular objects. For example, a funnel object112 may comprise a rotating funnel object that illustrates a progressionof data points in an enterprise data set over time. Various visualeffects may be provided with the funnel object 112 that may be used tohighlight various aspects of the data set that are bound to the funnelobject 112. For example, users may search the data set along variousdimensions, alter individual data points, view data point pathways overtime, see visual representations of the data as it is acceleratedthrough time along various dimensions, and so forth.

FIG. 1 also illustrates a three-dimensional histogram or bar graphobject 110 that may be used to represent various enterprise data sets.In the component exchange 124, the graph object 110 may be unconnectedfrom any underlying data set. However, when imported into an actualapplication, the graph object 110 may be bound to an enterprise dataset, and the various bars in the graph may be resized based on the databinding. The visualization object may be used to generate athree-dimensional (3D) virtual object in a virtual environment that maybe viewed by the various client devices. For example, the graph object110 may be implemented as a plurality of three-dimensional cylinders,each representing a bar in the graph. The users may enter the virtualenvironment and walk around the virtual object, interact with theobject, change values in the object, manipulate portions of the object,and have those changed values seen by other users and stored back to theunderlying database storing the data set.

The visualization objects 110, 112 described above are provided by wayof example and are not meant to be limiting. Any multidimensional objectthat can be used to visualize enterprise data sets may be used as avisualization object in this disclosure. Other visualization objects mayinclude charts, animations, pictures, graphs, and so forth.

In the component exchange 124, the visualization objects may berepresented as components 118, 120 that can be selected by a developerand imported into an application during development. For example, thedeveloper may drag-and-drop the component 118 for the funnel object 112into an application. This visualization object can then be bound to adata set either in the development environment or in the deploymentenvironment, depending on the embodiment.

In some embodiments, an application that includes one or morevisualization objects may be deployed to various environments. Theseenvironments may include web applications, mobile applications,client-side applications, applications run on gaming systems,applications run on desktop or laptop computers, applications forvirtual environments, such as virtual reality or augmented realitysystems, and/or any other computing environment. When the application isdeployed to environment, the component exchange 124 can deploy anynecessary libraries, third-party libraries, or other software componentsor libraries required to run the visualization object. For example, somevisualization objects operating in a 3D environment may include OpenGLlibraries or other 3D visualization libraries required for theiroperation.

The application may be deployed to an environment 102 genericallyreferred to herein as an EDIE environment that may include a number ofstandard components along with one or more visualization objects asdescribed above. The environment 102 may include a virtual environment104 in which the visualization objects may be instantiated. When thevisualization objects are instantiated, they can be bound to one or moreunderlying data sets. These data sets may be acquired from varioussources, such as database tables, multidimensional data cubes, webservices, server-side applications, API interfaces, and so forth. In theexample of FIG. 1, the enterprise database 108 may provide values fromone or more database tables to the environment 102 for use with at leastone of the visualization objects. In this example, the funnel object 112may be deployed to the environment 102 in the virtual environment 104.The funnel object 112 may include a set of inputs, such as parameterizedinputs that can be individually and/or collectively bound to tables orrows in the enterprise data set from the enterprise database 108. Abinding 106 between data set values and parameterized inputs of thevisualization object may be created in the development environment, inthe deployment environment 102, and/or at any other time. The binding106 may also be adjusted or reformed with different data setsdynamically at runtime or prior to executing the application.

When the data set is bound to the visualization object, thevisualization object can be used to generate a virtual object in thevirtual environment 104. This may include using the values from the dataset to size or dimension various portions of a virtual object. Thevalues from the data set may also be used to generate animation speedsor motion vectors for objects within the virtual object. The values fromthe data set may also be used to color or otherwise affect the visualrepresentation of objects in the virtual object. For example, a datapoint may rotate around a virtual funnel created by the funnel object112. The data point may have a color determined by one dimension, a sizeor radius determined by a second dimension, a speed of rotationdetermined by third dimension, a trajectory or motion vector directiondetermined by a fourth dimension, and so forth.

The visualization object generated in the virtual environment 104 may beviewed and/or interacted with by a number of different client devices126, 128, 130, 132. These client devices may include laptop computers,desktop computers, workstations, tablet computers, smart phones, smartwatches, smart TVs, video gaming consoles, digital home assistants,smart glasses, virtual reality headsets, augmented reality headsets, andany other computing device. Each of these client devices 126, 128, 130,132 may receive a unique view into the virtual environment 104corresponding to a uniquely placed virtual camera for each client device126, 128, 130, 132. Users may then interact with the virtual object 105in the virtual environment 104 to view, manipulate, edit, and/or updatethe underlying data set using the virtual object 105. As describedbelow, each user may be provided a unique, specific view of the virtualobject 105, and different settings may allow the users to change theunderlying data such that the virtual object 105 changes in the viewsprovided to other client devices. At each client device, 126, 128, 130,132 automatic hardware detection may be used to provide the correct viewof the virtual environment 104. For example, if client device 126 isimplemented by a desktop computer, then the environment 102 can providea two-dimensional (2D) view of the virtual environment 104. Incomparison, if client device 128 is implement by a virtual realityheadset, then the environment 102 can provide a 3D view of the virtualenvironment 104 such that the user of the client device 128 is immersedin the virtual environment 104 to interact therein.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a virtual object 202 that has beenbound to an enterprise data set, according to some embodiments. Asdescribed above, the virtual object 202 may correspond to the funnelobject 112 that was uploaded as a component 118 in the componentexchange 124 FIG. 1. The virtual object 202 may comprise a 3D funnelobject, where the funnel is formed by a plurality of individual datapoints. The individual data points from the data set may be used todefine the location, color, trajectory, movement, speed, size, shape,and/or any other visual characteristic of each of the individual datapoints.

The underlying data set may be sourced from a database table, amultidimensional data cube, and/or any other data structure. The dataset may include data points represented by rows in a database table orpoints in a multidimensional data cube. Individual columns in thedatabase or dimensions in the data cube can be used to definecharacteristics for each of the spheres in the virtual object 202. Forexample, a first dimension or first column in the database may be usedto determine the size or circumference of each of the spheres. A seconddimension or column value may be used to define the color or textureapplied to each of the spheres in the virtual environment. A thirddimension or column value may be used to define a location of eachsphere in the funnel. A fourth dimension or column value may define aspeed with which the sphere rotates around a center axis of the funnel.A fifth dimension or column value may define a trajectory or motion pathas it moves through various levels of the funnel, and so forth.

The data may remain bound to each of the elements of the virtual object202 as the application is running. For example, while wearing a virtualreality headset, a user may approach the virtual object 202 in thevirtual environment 200. Using a virtual selection handheld device, theuser may reach out and “grab” one of the spheres 204 rotating around thefunnel axis. The user may bring up a user interface that displaysadditional information regarding the underlying data represented by thesphere 204. The user may change values in the user interface to changethe underlying value in the corresponding database. The user may also“place” the sphere 204 back into a location in the virtual object 202.If the new location of the sphere 204 is different from the oldlocation, the dimension used to determine the location of the sphere 204in the virtual object 202 may be updated in the underlying database.

FIG. 3 illustrates a user interface 300 for importing components fromthe component exchange into an application. The user interface 300 mayinclude a list 302 of available components that may be imported into aproject. By selecting one of the components in the list 302, thecomponent exchange may display additional information for downloading,instantiating, and/or using the component. In this example, the user hasselected the funnel object component described previously. When thisselection is made from the list 302, the right-hand side of theinterface 300 may display additional information for using the funnelobject component.

The additional information may include a description 306 of thecomponent. This description 306 may describe the operation of thecomponent, how it may be used, how it may interact with othercomponents, typical usage scenarios, tips and advice for using thecomponent, and/or other information that may be useful for new and/orexperienced users of the component.

The description 306 may be accompanied by example code 308 thatillustrates how the component may be integrated into the code of anapplication. The example code 308 may be provided in various programminglanguages and may be copied and pasted from the example code 308 intothe code of the application.

Additionally, some embodiments may provide an install button 304. Theinstall button may execute a process for installing the component in theuser's application. Selecting the install button 304 may launchadditional windows, wizards, and/or interfaces that walk user throughthe process of installing the component in their application. Forexample, the install button 304 may trigger one or more web forms to begenerated that allow the user to select data sets that may be bound tothe parameterized interfaces of the component. For example, the installbutton 304 may generate an interface that allows the user to bind thespheres in the funnel object to individual columns in a database. Theinstall button 304 may also automatically download any code necessaryfor operating the component. This code may include third-partydatabases, graphic libraries, function libraries, and/or other sharedcode that may be required for executing the operations provided by thecomponent.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a process for downloading andinstantiating a component in an application, according to someembodiments. Using the user interface described above in FIG. 3, theuser may select the funnel object 402 to use as part of an applicationunder development. The code for the funnel object 402 may be downloadedto an operating environment on the client device that is configured toutilize this type of component. For example, the funnel object 402 maybe downloaded into the EDIE environment 102 operating on any of theclient devices described above. The EDIE environment 102 may include avirtual environment 104 that may provide an environment in whichthree-dimensional (3D) components may be instantiated for bothtwo-dimensional (2D) and 3D viewing.

In addition to downloading the code for the funnel object 402, thecomponent exchange 124 may also provide any additional code required torun the component in the EDIE environment 102. This additional code maybe stored in code libraries 404 that are stored and made available bythe component exchange 124. The additional code may also includelibraries 406 from third parties that are not hosted and/or provided bythe component exchange 124. For example, the component exchange 124 maycause a library of graphic manipulation code to be downloaded from athird party website as part of the installation process for the funnelobject 402. All of this code may be downloaded to the EDIE environment102 such that the funnel object 402 can be operated in a standalonefashion with all of its required functionality.

When the funnel object 402 is downloaded to the EDIE environment 102 andinstantiated in the virtual environment 104, the EDIE environment 102may cause a binding to take place between the parameterized inputs ofthe funnel object 104 and one or more data sources. For example, theEDIE environment 102 may present a user interface to the user allowingthe user to select from one of a plurality of available data sources.Upon selecting a data source, a request may be made to the user to bindindividual fields in the data source to individual parameterized inputs.For example, the user may select a particular column in a database suchthat the values in that column determine a color corresponding spheresin the funnel object in the virtual environment 104. The binding betweenthe parameterized inputs and the individual data sources may be storedas part of the application, such that whenever the application islaunched by the user, the funnel object 402 retrieves data from theunderlying data source to generate the display of the funnel object inthe virtual environment 104. This binding may be updated and/or changedwhen the application is launched or dynamically as the application isrun to visualize different data sets in the virtual environment 104.

The example of FIG. 4 illustrates an enterprise data store 108 that maybe used to bind enterprise data to the parameterized inputs of variousvisualization objects. In other examples, different data sources may bebound to different aspects of the visualization object. For example,some embodiments may allow columns or fields from multiple databases andmultiple locations to be bound to parameterized inputs of the samevirtualization object. Some embodiments may use online data sources thatprovide real-time data to the visualization component. Any combinationof data source may be provided to the parameterized inputs of thevirtualization object based on the needs of the individual applicationdesigner.

The use of the funnel object 402 in FIGS. 3-4 is provided only by way ofexample and is not meant to be limiting. It will be understood that anyvisualization object designed to operate in the EDIE environment 102 maybe implemented in the EDIE environment 102 using a similar procedure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a virtual dashboard created in the virtualenvironment 104, according to some embodiments. Although thevisualization components described herein may be used in any type ofapplication, they may be particularly well suited for designing avirtual dashboard. As used herein, the term dashboard may include avisualization that aggregates, analyzes, and/or displays informationfrom one or more data sources in a user interface. A dashboard may beprovided on a homepage of an organization's website. A dashboard mayalso be displayed as an entry screen in an application or mobile app.The dashboard generally displays “widgets” or other graphicalrepresentations of data in a two-dimensional environment. Users mayoften be able to select individual widgets on the dashboard to displayadditional information. For example, a user may click on a widgetdisplaying summary sales information for a current month. The widget maybe configured to provide additional information regarding the summarysales information displayed in the dashboard. Some dashboards mayinclude multiple widgets that can be configured to display up-to-dateinformation from the underlying data sources as the dashboard is visitedby various user client devices.

The embodiments described herein implements a dashboard in the 3Dvirtual environment 104 using the visualization components describedabove. For example, instead of displaying 2D widgets on a computerscreen, the user may use a client device that is enabled forinteractions with a 3D virtual environment to provide a 3D visualizationexperience to view and manipulate dashboard data. Some embodiments mayuse virtual reality headsets or augmented reality devices that allow theuser to enter the virtual environment 104 and perform live interactionswith the visualization objects displaying the dashboard data. In thevirtual environment 104, users may walk around the visualizationobjects, “grab” and manipulate portions of the visualization objects,interact with other users, and have their manipulation of thevisualization objects update the underlying data sources. This changesthe traditional 2D dashboard experience into an interactive, immersivevirtual reality experience where data can be viewed in an interactive,live fashion.

The virtual environment may include a plurality of visualizationobjects. Instead of a plurality of 2D widgets, the 3D dashboard mayinclude visualization objects that are placed in a virtual 3Denvironment 104. As users enter or view the 3D virtual environment, theymay move around the virtualization objects to view them from any angleand manipulate them from any location. Additional examples of usersinteracting with the virtual environment 104 to interact withvisualization objects are described in greater detail below.

As described above, a visualization object may refer to a softwareobject that is represented by a body of code and/or its associatedlibraries. What is displayed in the virtual environment 104 may bereferred to as a view of the visualization object. Each visualizationobject may be associated with a number of different views, and each viewmay provide a different look and feel for the visualization object. Forexample, the funnel object may include a traditional business view thatdisplays the data in a more reserved fashion suitable for a businessenvironment. The funnel object may also include an additional view thatdisplays the data in a less formal manner, including brighter and morevibrant colors, more playful shapes, and/or other variations on ways toview the funnel object. For simplicity, the remainder of this disclosurewill not distinguish between the underlying visualization objectrepresented by the executable code and the view of the visualizationobject that is displayed in virtual environment 104. Instead,visualization objects (e.g., the funnel object) may be referred touniformly as visualization objects to encompass both the code and thedisplay in the virtual environment 104.

In this example, the virtual environment 104 may include a dashboardwith three visualization objects. The funnel object 508 may be linked tothe enterprise data store 502 described above. The graph object 510 maybe linked to a multidimensional data cube 504 where dimensions in thedata cube are bound to individual elements of the graph object 510. Apersonnel object 512 may include summary displays of individuals (e.g.similar to a virtual business card display) in a three-dimensional gridin the virtual environment 104. The personnel object may be bound to aweb service 506 such that the personnel object may download informationfrom the web service 504 to populate the individual items in the summarydisplays of individuals. These visualization objects may be rendered invarious locations (e.g., in a semicircle) in the virtual environment104. When the user enters the virtual environment 104, they may see thevisualization objects 508, 510, 512 as objects in the area in front ofthem. To begin using the virtual dashboard, users may approach thevisualization objects 508, 510, 512, view the visualization objects,and/or manipulate elements of the visualization objects as desired.

FIG. 6 illustrates how various types of client device systems and inputdevices can all interface simultaneously with the same virtualenvironment in the EDIE environment 102, according to some embodiments.The EDIE environment 102 may include a 3D data exploration platform thatserves a number of different purposes and provides a number of differentbenefits. For example, the EDIE environment 102 may serve as a nexus forintegration between important, convergent, new technologies that canmake the exploration of enterprise data more immersive and fluid. Thesetechnologies may include conversational UI (e.g., voice-based orchat-based) 610, virtual reality (VR) 608, augmented reality (AR) 604,and many other interactive technologies. Users may also access thesevisualization technologies using traditional 2D computing tools, such asapps on mobile devices 606, web browsers 612 on display screens, and soforth. The EDIE environment 102 may provide a visualization that shiftsseamlessly through transitions between devices. For example, a user mayview a 3D visualization in a 2D environment, such as on a screen of amobile device 606. The user may then put on a pair of virtual realitygoggles and transition into a virtual reality space that includes thevisualization objects that were displayed in a 2D fashion on the screenof the mobile device 606. In the virtual environment, the user caninteract with the visualization objects using the hand controllers thatare commonly included in VR systems as described below.

The EDIE environment 102 may include a hardware detection process 620that detects the type of user input device used by the client device.For example, if the client device uses a traditional 2D display screenwith a web browser 612, the hardware detection process 620 may detectthat a 2D environment is interfacing with the virtual environment 104.The EDIE environment 102 may include interface code for each of thesedifferent types of input devices illustrated in FIG. 6. The hardwaredetection process 620 may identify the various input options that areavailable and load the interface code accordingly into the EDIEenvironment 102. The interface code may then generate a view of thevirtual environment 104 that is compatible with the corresponding inputdevice on the client device.

As described in greater detail below, the EDIE environment 102 mayoperate in a network mode such that the virtual environment 104 may beaccessed by a plurality of different client devices simultaneously. Thisallows users to interact with each other in the virtual environment 104while viewing the visualization objects bound to the underlyingenterprise data. The hardware detection module 620 allows users tointeract together in the virtual environment 104 based on their ownviewing experience with their client device. For example, users enteringthe virtual environment 104 using a virtual reality device 608 may bevisible in the virtual environment 104 as a displayed avatar for aanother user viewing the virtual environment 104 from a 2D screeninterface of a web browser 612.

FIG. 7 illustrates a view of the virtual environment 104 through a 2Dscreen interface, according to some embodiments. The user 702 may accessthe EDIE environment 102 through a desktop computer, laptop computer orother computing device equipped with a 2D screen interface. When viewingthe virtual environment 104 on a 2D screen 704, a virtual camera may beplaced in the virtual environment 104 to render a view of the virtualenvironment 104 from a perspective of the virtual camera. The renderedimage may be displayed on the screen 704 for the user 702. The user mayinteract with various objects in the virtual environment 104 using amouse or touch screen as they are displayed on the screen 704.

The virtual environment may include a plurality of visualization objectsarranged in a dashboard display as described above. These visualizationobjects may include the funnel object 508, the graph object 510, and/orany other visualization object. Additionally, the image captured by thevirtual camera and displayed on the screen 704 may include a location ofother users in the virtual environment. The view of each user may becaptured by a corresponding virtual camera in the virtual environment104. Instead of displaying a virtual camera, the location of thesecameras may include a display of an avatar or other representation ofthe other users. This example includes a visualization of user 708 inthe virtual environment 104. The user 702 may interact and communicatewith the user 708 through the virtual environment 104 as though theywere both in the virtual environment 104 together. As the user 708 turnstheir virtual camera towards a virtual camera of the user 702, they maysee a corresponding visualization or avatar representing the user 702 inthe virtual environment 104.

As described above, the EDIE environment 102 may automatically determinethat the screen 704 should display a 2D view of the virtual environment104. The user 708 may be wearing a pair of virtual reality goggles, andthe EDIE environment 102 operating on that client device may provide a3D view of the virtual dashboard in the virtual environment 104.Therefore, users may all interact together using various devices in thesame virtual environment. The type of device used by some users may notbe readily apparent to other users in the virtual environment 104. Forexample, the user 708 may look at the virtual camera for the display onthe screen 704 for the user 702, and instead of seeing a virtual camera,they may see an avatar in the virtual environment 104. The user 708 maynot be able to distinguish whether the user 702 is using a virtualreality headset or a 2D display screen 704.

FIG. 8 illustrates a view of the virtual environment 104 with aplurality of users interacting with a virtual dashboard, according tosome embodiments. In this example, users 804, 806 are represented byavatars that have a human appearance. Users may choose avatars that looklike themselves or any other virtual character. These avatars may movearound the virtual environment 104 as users move around a real-worldenvironment using a virtual reality headset. A virtual camera can move,rotate, pan, tilt, etc., as the user moves their head in the real-worldenvironment. This allows the user to “walk around” the virtual dashboardin the virtual environment 104 to see the various visualization objectsfrom different perspectives.

The movement of various users may be represented in the virtualenvironment 104 such that it is visible to other users. For example,compatible virtual reality equipment includes a virtual reality headsetand selection devices that may be held in the user's hands. As theselection devices or the virtual reality headset are moved in thereal-world environment, that movement may be used to drive the movementof the avatar in the virtual environment 104. For example, as user 408lifts their hands in the real-world environment, the hands of the avatarmay also be raised in the virtual environment 104 such they are visibleto user 806. This allows users to gesture and point to visualizationobjects in the virtual dashboard and have those motions be visible toother users.

FIG. 8 also illustrates a virtual camera 802 that may be used to capturea view of the virtual environment 104 for an image to be displayed on a2D screen. As described above, the depiction of the virtual camera 802may be replaced with an avatar for the user 702 viewing the screen 704.Alternatively, the virtual camera 802 may have no visual equivalent inthe virtual environment 104, or may be replaced by any other visualindicator as a 3D object that may be rendered for other users to see.

Users using both the 2D and 3D displays described above may interactwith the elements of the visualization objects in the virtual dashboard.For example, user 804 may approach the funnel object 508 and select oneof the spheres rotating around the funnel object 508. From a 2D display,the sphere may be selected using a finger tap or mouse click. From a 3Ddisplay, the sphere may be selected by using one of the handheld virtualreality devices held by the user 804 to reach out and “grab” one of thespheres as it rotates around the funnel object 508. The sphere may bebound to a data object in a data store as described above. For example,the sphere may represent a row in a database, and the location, color,speed, trajectory, etc., of the sphere in the funnel object 508 may bedetermined by different values in the columns of the row of thedatabase. As the user 804 holds the sphere, additional informationregarding the sphere may be displayed in a user interface or heads-updisplay (HUD). For example, each of the column values in the row of thedatabase may be displayed for the user 804. The sphere may be passedback and forth between user 804 end-user 806 such that both users 804,806 can view the details of the underlying data object.

When the user 804 has finished examining the sphere, the user 804 mayplace the sphere back in the funnel object 508. In some embodiments, theuser 804 may “place” the sphere back in the funnel object 508, and thesphere may automatically return to its previous position/rotation in thefunnel object 508. In other embodiments, the user 804 may place thesphere in the funnel object in a different location from which it wasoriginally retrieved. As described above, the location of the sphere inthe funnel object 508 may be determined by a value in an underlying dataset that is bound to the funnel object 508. When the location of thesphere in the funnel object 508 is changed, the value corresponding tothe location may also be changed. In some embodiments, a valuecorresponding to the new location in the funnel object 508 may bewritten back to the underlying data set. This allows users to manipulateelements of virtualization objects in the virtual environment 104 andchange the values in the data sets to which the visualization objectsare bound.

In some embodiments, the view of the visualization objects provided toeach of the users 804, 806 may be the same. For example, when user 804pulls the sphere out of the funnel object 508 as described above, user806 would see the sphere leave the funnel object 508. Similarly, whenuser 804 places the sphere back in the funnel object 508, user 806 maysee the new location of the sphere in the funnel object 508. Thuschanges to the visualization objects and their underlying data sets maybe common to each of the users using the virtual dashboard in thevirtual environment 104.

In other embodiments, each of the users 804, 806 may be provided theirown view of the visualization objects. In these embodiments, the stateof each visualization object may be saved uniquely for each user 804,806. For example when user 804 pulls the sphere out of the funnel object508 as described above, user 806 would continue to see the sphererotating in the funnel object 508. Therefore, changes made by one user804 to elements of visualization objects would be seen only by thatparticular user 804. Other users 806 would continue to see thevisualization objects in an unaltered state. Embodiments may handlechanges made by one user to the underlying data sets according to astored preference. For example, some embodiments may propagate changesto the underlying data sets, while others may provide the data sets in a“read-only” configuration such that changes to the visualization objectsare not reflected in the underlying data sets. Some embodiments maypresent changes to all of the users present in the virtual environment104 for approval before they are written to the underlying data set.

As described above, each visualization object may have one or more viewsor view models associated with the visualization object. These viewmodels may control the look-and-feel of the visualization objects asthey are rendered in the virtual environment 104. The EDIE environment102 allows each user to select individual view models for the samevisualization object. For example, user 804 may choose to view thefunnel object 508 using a business view model that uses muted colors andsmaller spheres. User 806 may choose to view the funnel object 508 usingan informal view model that uses brighter colors and larger spheres.This allows each individual user to tailor the look-and-feel ofvisualization objects in the virtual dashboard without changing the viewmodel for other users.

FIG. 9 illustrates a view of a real-world environment 908 that may beused to interact with the virtual environment 104, according to someembodiments. A user 902 may use virtual reality equipment, including avirtual reality headset 904 and/or one or more handheld selectiondevices 906. As the user 902 moves around the real-world environment908, the virtual camera in the virtual environment 104 may move aroundthe virtual environment 104 in a corresponding manner. The virtualcamera may capture a view of the virtual environment 104 that isdisplayed to the user 902 through the virtual reality headset 904. As auser 902 moves their hands holding the selection devices 906, the handsof the corresponding avatar in the virtual environment 104 may also moveand select objects in the virtual environment 104 as described above.

FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart 1000 of a method for displaying data inthe multi-dimensional dashboard, according to some embodiments. Themethod may include accessing a plurality of 3D visualization components(1002). Each of the 3D visualization components may includeparameterized inputs for receiving data sets. The 3D visualizationcomponents may be downloaded or otherwise received from a componentexchange that allows developers to provide 3D visualization componentsto be used in a plurality of applications under development. The 3Dvisualization components may be downloaded to a client device or into anoperating environment, such as the EDIE environment described above. Forexample, the 3D visualization components may include a funnel object, agraph object, and/or other visualization components described herein.

The method may also include receiving one or more data sets (1004). Thedata sets may represent enterprise data received from enterpriseapplications and/or databases. For example, the data sets may include aCustomer Relationship Management (CRM) database, a Human CapitalManagement (HCM) database, a financial software database, and/or anyother type of enterprise data available to the operating environment.

The method may additionally include binding the parameterized inputs ofthe plurality of 3D visualization components with the one or more datasets (1006). For example, for each of the 3D visualization components,the corresponding parameterized inputs may be bound to one of the one ormore data sets. The parameterized inputs of the 3D visualizationcomponents may make the 3D visualization components generic, such thatthey can be tailored in their appearance and operation by virtue of thebound data set. The data sets may be bound to the corresponding 3Dvisualization component at design time when the component is placed inan application. The data sets may alternatively or additionally be boundwhen the 3D visualization component is instantiated at runtime. Duringruntime, the system may receive inputs (e.g., from a user) to change thedata set binding to a different data set. Some 3D visualizationcomponents may be bound to a plurality of different data sets, each ofwhich may define a visual or operational aspect of the 3D visualizationcomponent.

The method may further include rendering a plurality of 3D virtualobjects in a virtual environment based on the plurality of 3Dvisualization components and the one or more data sets (1008). Each ofthe 3D visualization components may include a view model, an animationmodel, a wireframe skeleton, and/or other graphical constructs that maybe used to generate a 3D virtual object in a virtual environment. Thevirtual environment may be implemented in the EDIE operating environmentto create a 3D virtual scene that includes objects in addition to the 3Dvirtual objects from the 3D visualization components. For example, thevirtual environment may be configured as a carousel of 3D virtualobjects. In another example, the virtual environment may be configuredas an enterprise dashboard that displays 3D objects as virtual “widgets”that may be viewed by users in a virtual environment. Each of the 3Dvirtual objects in the dashboard may be bound to different enterprisedata sets from different databases and/or different applications. Forexample, the dashboard may provide summary data for financials,employees, operations, customers, and so forth, all in one unifieddisplay in a single virtual environment.

The method may also include receiving connections to the virtualenvironment from a plurality of client devices (1010). Some embodimentsmay include client devices that have a hardware detection processinstalled thereon configured to detect a type of display and/or inputdevice used with the client device. The hardware detection process mayautomatically configure an interaction with the virtual environment tomatch the type of client device. For example, if the client deviceincludes a virtual reality headset, the hardware detection process maybe configured to provide an immersive view and/or interaction with thevirtual environment such that the user feels as though they are workingwithin the virtual environment rather than a real-world environment. Ifa client device includes a 2D screen (e.g., a monitor, a laptopcomputer, etc.), the hardware detection process may be configured toplace a virtual camera in the virtual environment to capture a 2D imageof the virtual environment at a location to be displayed on the 2Dscreen.

The method may additionally include providing a plurality of views tothe plurality of 3D virtual objects in the virtual environment to theplurality of client devices (1012). Each of the client devices may beprovided an individual view of the virtual environment. Additionally,each of the client devices may be configured to allow users to interactwith the 3D virtual objects in the virtual environment to alter theirdisplay. For example, users may remove elements from virtual objectscorresponding to individual elements in the corresponding data sets.Users may see a display that includes summary information about the datapoints in that data element, and they may be allowed to change certaindata points. These changes may be updated in the underlying data sourcesto which the 3D virtual objects are bound. In some embodiments, changesmay be immediately viewed by other users in the virtual environment.Alternatively, some changes may be visible only to the user making thechange, such that each user is provided with an individualized view ofthe virtual environment.

It should be appreciated that the specific steps illustrated in FIG. 10provide particular methods of displaying data in a multidimensionaldashboard according to various embodiments. Other sequences of steps mayalso be performed according to alternative embodiments. For example,alternative embodiments of the present invention may perform the stepsoutlined above in a different order. Moreover, the individual stepsillustrated in FIG. 10 may include multiple sub-steps that may beperformed in various sequences as appropriate to the individual step.Furthermore, additional steps may be added or removed depending on theparticular applications. One of ordinary skill in the art wouldrecognize many variations, modifications, and alternatives.

Funnel Visualization

As described above, imported data sets may be represented by one or morevisualization components in the virtual environment. Many differenttypes of visualization components may be imported into the virtualenvironment to represent the data sets to which they are bound. Theshape, design, and animations available with each visualizationcomponent may be specifically designed to provide a visual experiencefor the user to see, understand, and manipulate complex data sets.Instead of simply looking at a graph or 2D pie chart on a web page, theuser may see advanced animations in three dimensions that can illustratehow the data changes over time, how the data interacts with each other,and what changes made propagated through the data to achieve a desiredresult. These visualization components offer distinct advantages overthe traditional two-dimensional dashboard for displaying and interactingwith enterprise data.

The following figures illustrate a particular visualization componentthat may be useful for displaying and interacting with particular typesof data. FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a visualization object in theform of a funnel 1100, according to some embodiments. The funnel 1100may be referred to as a final object, a funnel visualization component,or a funnel 3D object. The funnel 1100 may be useful for visualizinglarge data sets having thousands or even millions of data points. Thefunnel 1100 may provide multiple simultaneous visual indicators that canconvey information about each data point and about the set of datapoints collectively. These visual indicators may include a coloring of adata point, a size of the data point, a radial distance of the datapoint from the center of the funnel 1100, a radial angle of the datapoint, a speed of rotation of the data point around the funnel 1100, adistance along the length of the funnel 1100, and so forth. Attributesin the data set can be used to plot individual data points around thefunnel 1100 and control their appearance and/or animation tosimultaneously convey all of this information in a visual display to theuser.

As described above, the visualization component for the funnel 1100 maybe designed to be agnostic towards any particular data set. Instead, thefunnel 1100 may include a set of parameterized inputs to which anexisting data set may be bound. By way of example, the followingdiscussion may use a particular type of data set to illustrate how thatdata set can be viewed and manipulated by the funnel 1100. This exampledata set may include a data table imported or accessed from a salescloud application. This data table may include sales opportunities ineach row of the data table. The different columns in the data table mayinclude all the attributes of the sales opportunity. These attributesmay include interactions between individuals, scores, progressindicators, and/or any other characteristic of progressing a salesopportunity to a completed sale. When the visualization component forthe funnel 1100 is imported into an application, such as a virtualdashboard application, the application designer and/or user may selectthe table of sales opportunities as the data set to be represented bythe funnel 1100. A 3D object representing the funnel 1100 may then beconstructed using the data points from the data table to control thevisual aspects of the funnel 1100. These visual aspects are described indetail below, but in short each of the rows in the data table maycorrespond to a sphere in the funnel 1100 that rotates around the funnel1100. The rotation speed, angle, trajectory, color, size, and/or othercharacteristics of each sphere may be defined by the columns in thecorresponding data row.

It will be understood that the use of sales opportunity data for theunderlying data set for the funnel 1100 is used only by way of exampleit is not meant to be limiting. As emphasized above, the design of thevisualization component for the funnel 1100 does not depend on theunderlying data set. Instead, any data set may be tied to the funnel1100 to populate the funnel 1100 with spheres representing data points.The sales opportunity information is just one example of a data set thatillustrates how the attributes of data points can be visualizedinteractively using the funnel 1100. Other data sets may includefinancial data, scientific data, test or experimental data, survey data,and/or any other type of data source.

First, a distance 1106 on the funnel 1100 can convey meaning for each ofthe data points. The distance 1106 from the origin of the funnel 1100may be determined by a value of a column for each row corresponding to asphere in the funnel 1100. For example, for each individual data point,the distance 1106 can indicate a relative progression of a data pointfrom a starting value to an end value. For example, for data points thatrepresent sales opportunities, the farther away the data point is fromthe origin of the funnel 1100, the farther away the sales opportunity isfrom successful completion. Therefore, data point 1107 would represent asales opportunity in the initial stages of progress, while data point1108 would represent a sales opportunity that was nearing successfulcompletion. The shape of the funnel 1100 itself may also convey thistype of meaning. Using its physical counterpart, a funnel generallyaccepts new material at a larger open and, and then “funnels” thatmaterial (e.g., a liquid) around the funnel gradually towards thesmaller end of the funnel. By using the shape of the funnel 1100 in thevirtual environment, users may intuitively understand that data pointswill progress from an outer region that is larger towards a smallerregion at the interior of the funnel that is smaller. Thus, the funnel1100 is very useful for showing progress of individual data pointswithin a large group of data points. When the funnel 1100 is constructedin the virtual environment, each sphere may be placed in the funnel at alocation or distance 1106 based on this value from the data set.

In addition to showing progress of a single data point within acollection of data points, the funnel 1100 is also very useful fordisplaying overall trends in data point progress. In the illustration ofFIG. 11, there are thousands of data points in the data set representedby small spheres in the funnel visualization. Along with the ability tofocus on a single data point, this visualization provides the user withan illustration of clustering or natural groupings of data thatillustrate trends in the data set. For example, a cluster of data pointsin the beginning stages of the funnel 1100 (e.g., Stage 1) that are alarge distance from the origin (e.g., Stage 5) may represent a largenumber of sales opportunities in the beginning stages, whereas a smallnumber of data points near the origin (e.g., Stage 5) of the funnel 1100would illustrate that relatively few sales opportunities have beenpursued to completion. The funnel 1100 may also quickly provide a way ofassessing a total number of data points in the data set. For example, asparsely populated funnel illustrates that very few sales opportunitiesare available. In contrast, a densely populated funnel at each levelillustrates many opportunities that are equally distributed acrossdifferent states of progression.

The natural grouping or clustering of data that is visually apparent inthe funnel 1100 can be augmented by creating thresholds, striations, orgroupings of data to be displayed in the rendering of the funnel itself1100. For example, the funnel 1100 may include a first stage 1101, asecond stage 1102, a third stage 1103, a fourth stage 1104, and a fifthstage 1105. The divisions between stages can be established byuser-defined thresholds and can represent stages in the progress of datapoints towards an end result. For example, the first stage 1101 mayrepresent sales opportunities that have been identified but not yetassessed or acted upon. The fifth stage 1105 may represent salesopportunities that have been nurtured to a completed sale. In someembodiments, each of the stages can be visually delineated as shown inFIG. 11 using defined boundaries, different color schemes, and/or othermeans of visually distinguishing data points in one stage from datapoints in another stage. In some embodiments, this may include arepresentation that appears to be a funnel itself, while otherembodiments may simply form the funnel shape by virtue of the datapoints populating the funnel.

The different stages 1101, 1102, 1103, 1104, 1105 may be regularlyspaced along the length of the funnel 1100. The relative width of eachof the stages 1101, 1102, 1103, 1104, 1105 may be determined based onstatic spacing defined by the funnel 1100. The relative width may alsobe determined by a number of data points within each stage. For example,the width of the first stage 1101 may be larger when a larger populationof data points resides in this first stage 1101. The color of thevarious stages may be transparent such that they shade the variousregions of the funnel 1100 while still allowing the data pointscirculating within to be easily viewed. As described above, users mayinteract with the funnel by selecting individual data points rotatingwithin the funnel 1100. The different stages need not be modeled assolid surfaces in the virtual environment, but instead a user may “reachthrough” each of the stages to interact with data points circulatingtherein.

Some embodiments may present the data points in the funnel 1100 in astatic fashion without motion. Alternatively or additionally, someembodiments may also animate a motion of the data points in the funnel1100 based on one or more attributes. For example, the data points inFIG. 11 can be animated to rotate a round a center axis of the funnel1100 based on a frequency of actions involving specific data points. Inthe example of data points representing sales data, the speed with whichindividual data points rotate around the center axis of the funnel 1100can be determined by the number or rate of sales actions that are takenfor that data point (client contacts, emails, direct marketing, etc.).This allows a user to visually identify data points that are not beingacted upon to explain their relative distance to the origin of thefunnel 1100. Data points that are not moving or moving slowly indicatesales opportunities that are not progressing. In contrast, anopportunity that is in the first stage 1101 may be progressing quicklyif it circulates at a high rate around the funnel 1100. This alsoprovides a natural and realistic visualization of data points as theyprogress towards the origin of the funnel 1100. As with real worldfunnels, data points will progress by rotating around the center axis ofthe funnel 1100, gradually progressing towards the origin of the funnel1100 and increasing speed until they reach the origin. This alsoprovides a general overview of how efficiently and uniformly the data isprogressing. By animating all of the data points, it becomes visuallyobvious which data points are receiving more or less attention thanothers, which data points are progressing slower or faster than others,along with other comparative visual information that can be easilyconveyed with this visualization object.

FIG. 12 illustrates how data points can be visualized using thresholdsand other mechanisms to generate visual exceptions in the data set,according to some embodiments. In addition to viewing the collection ofdata points as a whole, the funnel 1100 can also be used to highlightindividual data points with in that collection. In some embodiments, auser may establish a threshold. That threshold can then be compared toan attribute value in each data point in the data set. Attribute valuesthat cross the threshold can have their corresponding data pointshighlighted in the visualization. In this example, each data point thatdoes not cross the threshold can be represented as a small sphererotating around the funnel 1100. In contrast, data points that do haveattribute values that cross the threshold can be represented as largerspheres rotating around the funnel 1100. Thresholds can be adjusted andapplied in real time to allow users to select thresholds based visuallyon the number of data points that are highlighted as exceptions. Someembodiments may use multiple thresholds, and assignincreasing/decreasing sizes to the highlighted spheres based on theirrelative thresholds that are crossed.

In the example of FIG. 12, data point 1204 and other similarly sizeddata points may have crossed a first threshold. This causes them to berepresented by spheres that are larger than the representations of therest of the data points. Data point 1202 and other similarly sized datapoints may have crossed both the first threshold and an additionalsecond threshold. This causes them to represented by spheres that areeven larger than the representations of other data points (i.e., themore thresholds crossed, the larger the corresponding data point). Thisillustrates how the size of the spheres can be used to representdifferent thresholds. Alternatively or additionally, a single thresholdmay be used, and after exceeding that threshold, data points canincrease in size in the visualization proportionally corresponding tothe amount by which they exceed the threshold.

As described above, the view of the funnel 1100 and FIG. 12 maycorrespond to the view of a user wearing a virtual reality headset to“enter” into the virtual environment. The user may set these thresholdsto highlight particular data points of interest in the funnel 1100. Theuser may then walk up to the funnel 1100 and grab any of the highlighteddata points as they circulate around the funnel 1100. Some embodimentsmay present multiple methods for displaying more information for aselected data point chosen by the user from the funnel 1100. Forexample, a 2D panel may be presented on the screen to the user showingeach of the column values in a row of data corresponding to the selectedsphere.

FIG. 13 illustrates a control panel for the funnel 1100 and how size,color, and stage details can be added to the animation of the funnel1100, according to some embodiments. In this implementation, a controlpanel 1302 can be summoned to the rendering of the visualization objectsin the virtual 3D environment for control by the user. In a 2Drendering, such as a tablet or smart phone screen, the control panel1302 can be composited on top of any rendered image of the funnel 1100from the virtual 3D space. Simultaneously, for users equipped with aVR/AR equipment, the control panel 1302 can be rendered as athree-dimensional object in the virtual 3D space, and these users mayinteract directly with the object representing the control panel 1302using VR hand controls. For example, a VR user can cause the controlpanel 1302 to appear in front of them and can “push” controls on thecontrol panel 1302 using their virtual hands equipped with VRsensors/devices.

The control panel 1302 can control all of the visual informationdisplayed by the funnel 1100. For example, the user can control stagecoloring as described above, the radius, angle, and scale for each ofthe data points, and whether certain data points should be highlightedor not. The control panel 1302 can also be used to select betweendifferent appearances for the funnel, such as being smooth or stepped.Transitions between final stages can be turned on or off, and theanimated rotation of data points around the center axis of the funnelcan be controlled. Details, such as labels for the stages andinformation for each of the data points can also be toggled in thecontrol panel 1302.

FIG. 13 also illustrates how labels can be applied to each of thestages. For example, the first stage is labeled to represent identifiedsales opportunities, the second stage represents sales opportunitiesbeing assessed, the third stage represents sales opportunities that areat the demonstration stage, the fourth stage represents salesopportunities were proposals have been made, and the fit stagerepresents sales opportunities or negotiations are taking place. Each ofthese stages may also include a number of opportunities or deals thatare currently classified within that stage. Thus, users have both avisual and numerical way of comparing numbers of data points in eachstage.

In this embodiment, the size of each data point may be directly relatedto one or more attributes of the data points. Instead of, or in additionto, being sized based on threshold crossings, this embodiment uses sizeas a value indicator. When the actual value increases, the size of thedata point can increase in a corresponding fashion. This allows users toevaluate individual data points as well as clusters of data points. Forexample, a cluster of large data points may indicate sales opportunitiesthat are each worth a large monetary value. Size can be scaled inreal-time and adjusted in real-time to represent different attributesusing the control panel 1302.

In addition to size, FIG. 13 illustrates how color can also be used toindicate attribute values. In some embodiments, data points may becolored according to their corresponding stage. For example, data pointsin stage 1 may be purple, data points in stage 2 may be green, and soforth. In other embodiments, data points may be colored without regardfor their stage, but can instead be colored based on any attributevalue. For example, a spectrum (e.g., red-green, white-black, etc.) ofcolors can be used to indicate relative attribute values, such asapproaching time deadlines or other key indicators.

FIG. 14 illustrates a flowchart of a method for generating avisualization object from a set of data points, according to someembodiments. The visualization object or visualization component may bedownloaded from a component library or exchange and included in anapplication. The application may include a virtual environment thatallows 3D objects to be created and rendered for generating views formultiple users using multiple client device types. As described above, avisualization object, such as the funnel object, may include a set ofparameterized inputs that may be bound to underlying data sets. Thismethod describes how these data sets may be used to generate the shapeand appearance of a predetermined 3D shape.

The method may include receiving one or more data sets from enterpriseapplications (1402). The one or more data sets may be received from anytype of data source, such as a database, a table, a spreadsheet, a textfile, a CSV file, a web service, a website, an XML file, a storagerepository, and/or any other type of data structure or data storagedevice. The data sets may be received from an application, such as anenterprise application providing enterprise data. The data may includeCRM data, HCM data, financial data, sales data, and/or any other type ofdata. When the visualization component is loaded or downloaded, thedesigner and/or user may choose to bind the one or more data sets to thevisualization component through one or more parameterized inputs.

The method may also include generating 3D objects corresponding to eachof the data points in the one or more data sets (1404). Each of the 3Dobjects may correspond to a single data point in the one or more datasets. For example, each 3D object may correspond to a row in a database.Each object may also include a plurality of attributes or attributevalues that may be associated with the data point. For example, theattribute values may include values stored in columns for a row in adatabase table. Each of these values may be used to construct theappearance and/or behavior of the 3D objects as described below. The 3Dobjects may comprise 3D spheres as described or otherwise depictedabove. The 3D objects may also include any other type ofthree-dimensional object, such as bars, polygons, stars, and/or othersolid objects.

The method may also include arranging the 3D objects into apredetermined 3D shape (1406). The 3D shape may be formed by the 3Dobjects themselves or may be created independently in the 3D virtualspace with the 3D objects surrounding the 3D shape. For example, the 3Dshape may comprise a funnel object as described and depicted above. The3D objects may be arranged such that their collective arrangement formsthe predetermined 3D shape. Alternatively, additional 3D objects, suchas surfaces, wireframes, and/or other 3D constructs may be used togenerate and represent at least a portion of the predetermined 3D shape.In these embodiments, the 3D objects may be arranged around the other 3Dconstructs such that they conform to the predetermined 3D shape.

The method may further include controlling the appearance or position ofthe 3D objects within the 3D shape based on attribute values for thecorresponding data points (1408). For example, the position and/orappearance within the 3D shape may be controlled such that the color,size, position, and movements of the 3D objects are governed bycorresponding attribute values. Some embodiments may also control themovement, trajectory, animation path, speed of rotation, and/or othermovements over time as described in detail below.

It should be appreciated that the specific steps illustrated in FIG. 14provide particular methods of generating a visualization objectaccording to various embodiments of the present invention. Othersequences of steps may also be performed according to alternativeembodiments. For example, alternative embodiments of the presentinvention may perform the steps outlined above in a different order.Moreover, the individual steps illustrated in FIG. 14 may includemultiple sub-steps that may be performed in various sequences asappropriate to the individual step. Furthermore, additional steps may beadded or removed depending on the particular applications. One ofordinary skill in the art would recognize many variations,modifications, and alternatives.

As mentioned briefly above, some embodiments may use motion oranimations of data points corresponding to a time attribute to evaluateprogress of data points through the funnel over time. Thus, a stationaryview of the funnel 1100 may represent a snapshot of data points in time,and the movement of data points throughout the funnel over time can bevisualized by animating a sequence of snapshot views of the funneltogether into an animated sequence.

FIG. 15 illustrates an on-axis view of the funnel 1100, according tosome embodiments. To view additional information for a specific datapoint, the user can hover a control (e.g., a mouse, a finger tap, a handlocation in VR, etc.) over a particular data point, this can summon aninformation window 1502 that includes attribute values for that datapoint. In the example of FIG. 15, the information window includesattributes values such as an opportunity ID, name, date, age, type,probability of success, target close date, and so forth. This allowsusers to see in-depth information for selected data points.

With the on-axis view of the funnel 1100, the user can better view thespeed and rotation angle 1506 of each of the data points. In someembodiments, the rotation angle itself can indicate an attribute value,and the animation would rotate the data point in real-time as theattribute value changes. For example, continuing with the sales dataexample, rotation angle around the funnel 1100 may indicate anopportunity probability of success. This allows users to quicklydetermine visually an overall probability for success for groups of datapoints. Animating these data points around the funnel 1100 can beaccomplished by changing these attributes over time. For example, a usermay request that the funnel illustrate changes in the probability ofsuccess over a one-year period. The animation of data points around thefunnel 1100 would then move in an animation as the probabilities ofsuccess change throughout the year.

Alternatively or additionally, the speed 1504 of data point rotation canbe tied to an attribute value rather than the angle of rotation. Forexample, the data points that rotate relatively fast can have a highprobability of success, whereas data points that rotate relatively slowmay have a low probability of success. In some embodiments, the rotationspeed of the data points can be uniform, and they can rotate to simplyprovide a more three-dimensional view of the data points into therenderings such as on computer screens.

FIG. 16 illustrates a visualization of how the motion and/or animationof a data point can be tracked over time as attribute values for thecorresponding data point change, according to some embodiments. In thisexample, a single sphere representing a single data point can beselected, and the path of this data point can be represented over timeas it travels through the funnel 1100. The data point can be representedat a starting position 1602 and ending position 1604, and one or morepositions in between. Each of these positions can be labeled with atimestamp (e.g., date, time, etc.) to indicate a time corresponding toeach location. Spheres may be added to the funnel for each location inthe time history of the data point. Spheres may be added for a specifiedtime interval, such as one per week, one per month, one every 45 days,and so forth. Alternatively, a predefined number of spheres may be addedand divided equally throughout the overall time interval.

In addition to representing multiple spheres, some embodiments may tracethe progression of the data point through the funnel over time using acontinuous line. In the example of FIG. 16, a path 1606 may be generatedusing a spline function in the virtual 3D space and rendered as part ofthe funnel display for the user. This balances the need to show the pathof movement through the funnel without complicating the display byadding a large number of additional spheres. As described above, a usermay hover an input control over any of the spheres or the pathway itselfto trace the path of the data point. As the path is traced, informationwindow may be summoned to display in real-time changing values of theattribute represented by the path 1606.

FIG. 17 illustrates a on-axis view of the funnel 1100 depicted in FIG.16. This figure illustrates how a user can rotate or view the funnel1100 from different angles. In a rendered 2D space, the user can panaround the funnel to see the data from different angles. In a virtual 3Denvironment, such as a AR/VR environment, the user can move around therepresentation of the funnel 1100 to view the funnel 1100 from differentangles. The text labels for each of the data points can rotate such thatthey are always parallel to the view plane of the user. Therefore, thetext for each user may be rendered independently such that the textappears to always face each individual user. By allowing the funnel 1100to be viewed from different angles, the user can see and determineexactly the path taken by the selected data point.

FIG. 18 illustrates a flowchart of a method for representing datachanges over time, according to some embodiments. The method may includereceiving one or more data sets from enterprise applications (1802). Thedata set may include a time-series of data for a single data attribute.The method may also include generating 3D objects corresponding to eachof the data points in the one or more data sets (1804). The 3D objectsmay comprise 3D spheres as described or otherwise depicted above. Themethod may also include arranging the 3D objects into a predetermined 3Dshape (1806). The 3D shape may be formed by the 3D objects themselves ormay be created independently in the 3D virtual space with the 3D objectssurrounding the 3D shape. For example, the 3D shape may comprise afunnel object as described and depicted above. Each of these operationsmay be carried out as described above in relation to FIG. 14. The methodmay further include creating animation or path of a 3D object over time(1808). The information may include moving the 3D object through the 3Dshape while leaving other 3D objects stationary. The path may includeadding a spline curve to the visualization to indicate the path overtime.

It should be appreciated that the specific steps illustrated in FIG. 18provide particular methods of representing data changes over timeaccording to various embodiments of the present invention. Othersequences of steps may also be performed according to alternativeembodiments. For example, alternative embodiments of the presentinvention may perform the steps outlined above in a different order.Moreover, the individual steps illustrated in FIG. 18 may includemultiple sub-steps that may be performed in various sequences asappropriate to the individual step. Furthermore, additional steps may beadded or removed depending on the particular applications. One ofordinary skill in the art would recognize many variations,modifications, and alternatives.

Each of the methods described herein may be implemented by a computersystem. Each step of these methods may be executed automatically by thecomputer system, and/or may be provided with inputs/outputs involving auser. For example, a user may provide inputs for each step in a method,and each of these inputs may be in response to a specific outputrequesting such an input, wherein the output is generated by thecomputer system. Each input may be received in response to acorresponding requesting output. Furthermore, inputs may be receivedfrom a user, from another computer system as a data stream, retrievedfrom a memory location, retrieved over a network, requested from a webservice, and/or the like. Likewise, outputs may be provided to a user,to another computer system as a data stream, saved in a memory location,sent over a network, provided to a web service, and/or the like. Inshort, each step of the methods described herein may be performed by acomputer system, and may involve any number of inputs, outputs, and/orrequests to and from the computer system which may or may not involve auser. Those steps not involving a user may be said to be performedautomatically by the computer system without human intervention.Therefore, it will be understood in light of this disclosure, that eachstep of each method described herein may be altered to include an inputand output to and from a user, or may be done automatically by acomputer system without human intervention where any determinations aremade by a processor. Furthermore, some embodiments of each of themethods described herein may be implemented as a set of instructionsstored on a tangible, non-transitory storage medium to form a tangiblesoftware product.

FIG. 19 depicts a simplified diagram of a distributed system 1900 forimplementing one of the embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment,distributed system 1900 includes one or more client computing devices1902, 1904, 1906, and 1908, which are configured to execute and operatea client application such as a web browser, proprietary client (e.g.,Oracle Forms), or the like over one or more network(s) 1910. Server 1912may be communicatively coupled with remote client computing devices1902, 1904, 1906, and 1908 via network 1910.

In various embodiments, server 1912 may be adapted to run one or moreservices or software applications provided by one or more of thecomponents of the system. In some embodiments, these services may beoffered as web-based or cloud services or under a Software as a Service(SaaS) model to the users of client computing devices 1902, 1904, 1906,and/or 1908. Users operating client computing devices 1902, 1904, 1906,and/or 1908 may in turn utilize one or more client applications tointeract with server 1912 to utilize the services provided by thesecomponents.

In the configuration depicted in the figure, the software components1918, 1920 and 1922 of system 1900 are shown as being implemented onserver 1912. In other embodiments, one or more of the components ofsystem 1900 and/or the services provided by these components may also beimplemented by one or more of the client computing devices 1902, 1904,1906, and/or 1908. Users operating the client computing devices may thenutilize one or more client applications to use the services provided bythese components. These components may be implemented in hardware,firmware, software, or combinations thereof. It should be appreciatedthat various different system configurations are possible, which may bedifferent from distributed system 1900. The embodiment shown in thefigure is thus one example of a distributed system for implementing anembodiment system and is not intended to be limiting.

Client computing devices 1902, 1904, 1906, and/or 1908 may be portablehandheld devices (e.g., an iPhone®, cellular telephone, an iPad®,computing tablet, a personal digital assistant (PDA)) or wearabledevices (e.g., a Google Glass® head mounted display), running softwaresuch as Microsoft Windows Mobile®, and/or a variety of mobile operatingsystems such as iOS, Windows Phone, Android, BlackBerry 10, Palm OS, andthe like, and being Internet, e-mail, short message service (SMS),Blackberry®, or other communication protocol enabled. The clientcomputing devices can be general purpose personal computers including,by way of example, personal computers and/or laptop computers runningvarious versions of Microsoft Windows®, Apple Macintosh®, and/or Linuxoperating systems. The client computing devices can be workstationcomputers running any of a variety of commercially-available UNIX® orUNIX-like operating systems, including without limitation the variety ofGNU/Linux operating systems, such as for example, Google Chrome OS.Alternatively, or in addition, client computing devices 1902, 1904,1906, and 1908 may be any other electronic device, such as a thin-clientcomputer, an Internet-enabled gaming system (e.g., a Microsoft Xboxgaming console with or without a Kinect® gesture input device), and/or apersonal messaging device, capable of communicating over network(s)1910.

Although exemplary distributed system 1900 is shown with four clientcomputing devices, any number of client computing devices may besupported. Other devices, such as devices with sensors, etc., mayinteract with server 1912.

Network(s) 1910 in distributed system 1900 may be any type of networkfamiliar to those skilled in the art that can support datacommunications using any of a variety of commercially-availableprotocols, including without limitation TCP/IP (transmission controlprotocol/Internet protocol), SNA (systems network architecture), IPX(Internet packet exchange), AppleTalk, and the like. Merely by way ofexample, network(s) 1910 can be a local area network (LAN), such as onebased on Ethernet, Token-Ring and/or the like. Network(s) 1910 can be awide-area network and the Internet. It can include a virtual network,including without limitation a virtual private network (VPN), anintranet, an extranet, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), aninfra-red network, a wireless network (e.g., a network operating underany of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics (IEEE) 802.11 suiteof protocols, Bluetooth®, and/or any other wireless protocol); and/orany combination of these and/or other networks.

Server 1912 may be composed of one or more general purpose computers,specialized server computers (including, by way of example, PC (personalcomputer) servers, UNIX® servers, mid-range servers, mainframecomputers, rack-mounted servers, etc.), server farms, server clusters,or any other appropriate arrangement and/or combination. In variousembodiments, server 1912 may be adapted to run one or more services orsoftware applications described in the foregoing disclosure. Forexample, server 1912 may correspond to a server for performingprocessing described above according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

Server 1912 may run an operating system including any of those discussedabove, as well as any commercially available server operating system.Server 1912 may also run any of a variety of additional serverapplications and/or mid-tier applications, including HTTP (hypertexttransport protocol) servers, FTP (file transfer protocol) servers, CGI(common gateway interface) servers, JAVA® servers, database servers, andthe like. Exemplary database servers include without limitation thosecommercially available from Oracle, Microsoft, Sybase, IBM(International Business Machines), and the like.

In some implementations, server 1912 may include one or moreapplications to analyze and consolidate data feeds and/or event updatesreceived from users of client computing devices 1902, 1904, 1906, and1908. As an example, data feeds and/or event updates may include, butare not limited to, Twitter® feeds, Facebook® updates or real-timeupdates received from one or more third party information sources andcontinuous data streams, which may include real-time events related tosensor data applications, financial tickers, network performancemeasuring tools (e.g., network monitoring and traffic managementapplications), clickstream analysis tools, automobile trafficmonitoring, and the like. Server 1912 may also include one or moreapplications to display the data feeds and/or real-time events via oneor more display devices of client computing devices 1902, 1904, 1906,and 1908.

Distributed system 1900 may also include one or more databases 1914 and1916. Databases 1914 and 1916 may reside in a variety of locations. Byway of example, one or more of databases 1914 and 1916 may reside on anon-transitory storage medium local to (and/or resident in) server 1912.Alternatively, databases 1914 and 1916 may be remote from server 1912and in communication with server 1912 via a network-based or dedicatedconnection. In one set of embodiments, databases 1914 and 1916 mayreside in a storage-area network (SAN). Similarly, any necessary filesfor performing the functions attributed to server 1912 may be storedlocally on server 1912 and/or remotely, as appropriate. In one set ofembodiments, databases 1914 and 1916 may include relational databases,such as databases provided by Oracle, that are adapted to store, update,and retrieve data in response to SQL-formatted commands.

FIG. 20 is a simplified block diagram of one or more components of asystem environment 2000 by which services provided by one or morecomponents of an embodiment system may be offered as cloud services, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In theillustrated embodiment, system environment 2000 includes one or moreclient computing devices 2004, 2006, and 2008 that may be used by usersto interact with a cloud infrastructure system 2002 that provides cloudservices. The client computing devices may be configured to operate aclient application such as a web browser, a proprietary clientapplication (e.g., Oracle Forms), or some other application, which maybe used by a user of the client computing device to interact with cloudinfrastructure system 2002 to use services provided by cloudinfrastructure system 2002.

It should be appreciated that cloud infrastructure system 2002 depictedin the figure may have other components than those depicted. Further,the embodiment shown in the figure is only one example of a cloudinfrastructure system that may incorporate an embodiment of theinvention. In some other embodiments, cloud infrastructure system 2002may have more or fewer components than shown in the figure, may combinetwo or more components, or may have a different configuration orarrangement of components.

Client computing devices 2004, 2006, and 2008 may be devices similar tothose described above for 1902, 1904, 1906, and 1908.

Although exemplary system environment 2000 is shown with three clientcomputing devices, any number of client computing devices may besupported. Other devices such as devices with sensors, etc. may interactwith cloud infrastructure system 2002.

Network(s) 2010 may facilitate communications and exchange of databetween clients 2004, 2006, and 2008 and cloud infrastructure system2002. Each network may be any type of network familiar to those skilledin the art that can support data communications using any of a varietyof commercially-available protocols, including those described above fornetwork(s) 1910.

Cloud infrastructure system 2002 may comprise one or more computersand/or servers that may include those described above for server 1912.

In certain embodiments, services provided by the cloud infrastructuresystem may include a host of services that are made available to usersof the cloud infrastructure system on demand, such as online datastorage and backup solutions, Web-based e-mail services, hosted officesuites and document collaboration services, database processing, managedtechnical support services, and the like. Services provided by the cloudinfrastructure system can dynamically scale to meet the needs of itsusers. A specific instantiation of a service provided by cloudinfrastructure system is referred to herein as a “service instance.” Ingeneral, any service made available to a user via a communicationnetwork, such as the Internet, from a cloud service provider's system isreferred to as a “cloud service.” Typically, in a public cloudenvironment, servers and systems that make up the cloud serviceprovider's system are different from the customer's own on-premisesservers and systems. For example, a cloud service provider's system mayhost an application, and a user may, via a communication network such asthe Internet, on demand, order and use the application.

In some examples, a service in a computer network cloud infrastructuremay include protected computer network access to storage, a hosteddatabase, a hosted web server, a software application, or other serviceprovided by a cloud vendor to a user, or as otherwise known in the art.For example, a service can include password-protected access to remotestorage on the cloud through the Internet. As another example, a servicecan include a web service-based hosted relational database and ascript-language middleware engine for private use by a networkeddeveloper. As another example, a service can include access to an emailsoftware application hosted on a cloud vendor's web site.

In certain embodiments, cloud infrastructure system 2002 may include asuite of applications, middleware, and database service offerings thatare delivered to a customer in a self-service, subscription-based,elastically scalable, reliable, highly available, and secure manner. Anexample of such a cloud infrastructure system is the Oracle Public Cloudprovided by the present assignee.

In various embodiments, cloud infrastructure system 2002 may be adaptedto automatically provision, manage and track a customer's subscriptionto services offered by cloud infrastructure system 2002. Cloudinfrastructure system 2002 may provide the cloud services via differentdeployment models. For example, services may be provided under a publiccloud model in which cloud infrastructure system 2002 is owned by anorganization selling cloud services (e.g., owned by Oracle) and theservices are made available to the general public or different industryenterprises. As another example, services may be provided under aprivate cloud model in which cloud infrastructure system 2002 isoperated solely for a single organization and may provide services forone or more entities within the organization. The cloud services mayalso be provided under a community cloud model in which cloudinfrastructure system 2002 and the services provided by cloudinfrastructure system 2002 are shared by several organizations in arelated community. The cloud services may also be provided under ahybrid cloud model, which is a combination of two or more differentmodels.

In some embodiments, the services provided by cloud infrastructuresystem 2002 may include one or more services provided under Software asa Service (SaaS) category, Platform as a Service (PaaS) category,Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) category, or other categories ofservices including hybrid services. A customer, via a subscriptionorder, may order one or more services provided by cloud infrastructuresystem 2002. Cloud infrastructure system 2002 then performs processingto provide the services in the customer's subscription order.

In some embodiments, the services provided by cloud infrastructuresystem 2002 may include, without limitation, application services,platform services and infrastructure services. In some examples,application services may be provided by the cloud infrastructure systemvia a SaaS platform. The SaaS platform may be configured to providecloud services that fall under the SaaS category. For example, the SaaSplatform may provide capabilities to build and deliver a suite ofon-demand applications on an integrated development and deploymentplatform. The SaaS platform may manage and control the underlyingsoftware and infrastructure for providing the SaaS services. Byutilizing the services provided by the SaaS platform, customers canutilize applications executing on the cloud infrastructure system.Customers can acquire the application services without the need forcustomers to purchase separate licenses and support. Various differentSaaS services may be provided. Examples include, without limitation,services that provide solutions for sales performance management,enterprise integration, and business flexibility for largeorganizations.

In some embodiments, platform services may be provided by the cloudinfrastructure system via a PaaS platform. The PaaS platform may beconfigured to provide cloud services that fall under the PaaS category.Examples of platform services may include without limitation servicesthat enable organizations (such as Oracle) to consolidate existingapplications on a shared, common architecture, as well as the ability tobuild new applications that leverage the shared services provided by theplatform. The PaaS platform may manage and control the underlyingsoftware and infrastructure for providing the PaaS services. Customerscan acquire the PaaS services provided by the cloud infrastructuresystem without the need for customers to purchase separate licenses andsupport. Examples of platform services include, without limitation,Oracle Java Cloud Service (JCS), Oracle Database Cloud Service (DBCS),and others.

By utilizing the services provided by the PaaS platform, customers canemploy programming languages and tools supported by the cloudinfrastructure system and also control the deployed services. In someembodiments, platform services provided by the cloud infrastructuresystem may include database cloud services, middleware cloud services(e.g., Oracle Fusion Middleware services), and Java cloud services. Inone embodiment, database cloud services may support shared servicedeployment models that enable organizations to pool database resourcesand offer customers a Database as a Service in the form of a databasecloud. Middleware cloud services may provide a platform for customers todevelop and deploy various business applications, and Java cloudservices may provide a platform for customers to deploy Javaapplications, in the cloud infrastructure system.

Various different infrastructure services may be provided by an IaaSplatform in the cloud infrastructure system. The infrastructure servicesfacilitate the management and control of the underlying computingresources, such as storage, networks, and other fundamental computingresources for customers utilizing services provided by the SaaS platformand the PaaS platform.

In certain embodiments, cloud infrastructure system 2002 may alsoinclude infrastructure resources 2030 for providing the resources usedto provide various services to customers of the cloud infrastructuresystem. In one embodiment, infrastructure resources 2030 may includepre-integrated and optimized combinations of hardware, such as servers,storage, and networking resources to execute the services provided bythe PaaS platform and the SaaS platform.

In some embodiments, resources in cloud infrastructure system 2002 maybe shared by multiple users and dynamically re-allocated per demand.Additionally, resources may be allocated to users in different timezones. For example, cloud infrastructure system 2030 may enable a firstset of users in a first time zone to utilize resources of the cloudinfrastructure system for a specified number of hours and then enablethe re-allocation of the same resources to another set of users locatedin a different time zone, thereby maximizing the utilization ofresources.

In certain embodiments, a number of internal shared services 2032 may beprovided that are shared by different components or modules of cloudinfrastructure system 2002 and by the services provided by cloudinfrastructure system 2002. These internal shared services may include,without limitation, a security and identity service, an integrationservice, an enterprise repository service, an enterprise managerservice, a virus scanning and white list service, a high availability,backup and recovery service, service for enabling cloud support, anemail service, a notification service, a file transfer service, and thelike.

In certain embodiments, cloud infrastructure system 2002 may providecomprehensive management of cloud services (e.g., SaaS, PaaS, and IaaSservices) in the cloud infrastructure system. In one embodiment, cloudmanagement functionality may include capabilities for provisioning,managing and tracking a customer's subscription received by cloudinfrastructure system 2002, and the like.

In one embodiment, as depicted in the figure, cloud managementfunctionality may be provided by one or more modules, such as an ordermanagement module 2020, an order orchestration module 2022, an orderprovisioning module 2024, an order management and monitoring module2026, and an identity management module 2028. These modules may includeor be provided using one or more computers and/or servers, which may begeneral purpose computers, specialized server computers, server farms,server clusters, or any other appropriate arrangement and/orcombination.

In exemplary operation 2034, a customer using a client device, such asclient device 2004, 2006 or 2008, may interact with cloud infrastructuresystem 2002 by requesting one or more services provided by cloudinfrastructure system 2002 and placing an order for a subscription forone or more services offered by cloud infrastructure system 2002. Incertain embodiments, the customer may access a cloud User Interface(UI), cloud UI 2012, cloud UI 2014 and/or cloud UI 2016 and place asubscription order via these UIs. The order information received bycloud infrastructure system 2002 in response to the customer placing anorder may include information identifying the customer and one or moreservices offered by the cloud infrastructure system 2002 that thecustomer intends to subscribe to.

After an order has been placed by the customer, the order information isreceived via the cloud UIs, 2012, 2014 and/or 2016.

At operation 2036, the order is stored in order database 2018. Orderdatabase 2018 can be one of several databases operated by cloudinfrastructure system 2018 and operated in conjunction with other systemelements.

At operation 2038, the order information is forwarded to an ordermanagement module 2020. In some instances, order management module 2020may be configured to perform billing and accounting functions related tothe order, such as verifying the order, and upon verification, bookingthe order.

At operation 2040, information regarding the order is communicated to anorder orchestration module 2022. Order orchestration module 2022 mayutilize the order information to orchestrate the provisioning ofservices and resources for the order placed by the customer. In someinstances, order orchestration module 2022 may orchestrate theprovisioning of resources to support the subscribed services using theservices of order provisioning module 2024.

In certain embodiments, order orchestration module 2022 enables themanagement of business processes associated with each order and appliesbusiness logic to determine whether an order should proceed toprovisioning. At operation 2042, upon receiving an order for a newsubscription, order orchestration module 2022 sends a request to orderprovisioning module 2024 to allocate resources and configure thoseresources needed to fulfill the subscription order. Order provisioningmodule 2024 enables the allocation of resources for the services orderedby the customer. Order provisioning module 2024 provides a level ofabstraction between the cloud services provided by cloud infrastructuresystem 2000 and the physical implementation layer that is used toprovision the resources for providing the requested services. Orderorchestration module 2022 may thus be isolated from implementationdetails, such as whether or not services and resources are actuallyprovisioned on the fly or pre-provisioned and only allocated/assignedupon request.

At operation 2044, once the services and resources are provisioned, anotification of the provided service may be sent to customers on clientdevices 2004, 2006 and/or 2008 by order provisioning module 2024 ofcloud infrastructure system 2002.

At operation 2046, the customer's subscription order may be managed andtracked by an order management and monitoring module 2026. In someinstances, order management and monitoring module 2026 may be configuredto collect usage statistics for the services in the subscription order,such as the amount of storage used, the amount data transferred, thenumber of users, and the amount of system up time and system down time.

In certain embodiments, cloud infrastructure system 2000 may include anidentity management module 2028. Identity management module 2028 may beconfigured to provide identity services, such as access management andauthorization services in cloud infrastructure system 2000. In someembodiments, identity management module 2028 may control informationabout customers who wish to utilize the services provided by cloudinfrastructure system 2002. Such information can include informationthat authenticates the identities of such customers and information thatdescribes which actions those customers are authorized to performrelative to various system resources (e.g., files, directories,applications, communication ports, memory segments, etc.) Identitymanagement module 2028 may also include the management of descriptiveinformation about each customer and about how and by whom thatdescriptive information can be accessed and modified.

FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary computer system 2100, in which variousembodiments of the present invention may be implemented. The system 2100may be used to implement any of the computer systems described above. Asshown in the figure, computer system 2100 includes a processing unit2104 that communicates with a number of peripheral subsystems via a bussubsystem 2102. These peripheral subsystems may include a processingacceleration unit 2106, an I/O subsystem 2108, a storage subsystem 2118and a communications subsystem 2124. Storage subsystem 2118 includestangible computer-readable storage media 2122 and a system memory 2110.

Bus subsystem 2102 provides a mechanism for letting the variouscomponents and subsystems of computer system 2100 communicate with eachother as intended. Although bus subsystem 2102 is shown schematically asa single bus, alternative embodiments of the bus subsystem may utilizemultiple buses. Bus subsystem 2102 may be any of several types of busstructures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheralbus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. Forexample, such architectures may include an Industry StandardArchitecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, EnhancedISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) localbus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, which can beimplemented as a Mezzanine bus manufactured to the IEEE P1386.1standard.

Processing unit 2104, which can be implemented as one or more integratedcircuits (e.g., a conventional microprocessor or microcontroller),controls the operation of computer system 2100. One or more processorsmay be included in processing unit 2104. These processors may includesingle core or multicore processors. In certain embodiments, processingunit 2104 may be implemented as one or more independent processing units2132 and/or 2134 with single or multicore processors included in eachprocessing unit. In other embodiments, processing unit 2104 may also beimplemented as a quad-core processing unit formed by integrating twodual-core processors into a single chip.

In various embodiments, processing unit 2104 can execute a variety ofprograms in response to program code and can maintain multipleconcurrently executing programs or processes. At any given time, some orall of the program code to be executed can be resident in processor(s)2104 and/or in storage subsystem 2118. Through suitable programming,processor(s) 2104 can provide various functionalities described above.Computer system 2100 may additionally include a processing accelerationunit 2106, which can include a digital signal processor (DSP), aspecial-purpose processor, and/or the like.

I/O subsystem 2108 may include user interface input devices and userinterface output devices. User interface input devices may include akeyboard, pointing devices such as a mouse or trackball, a touchpad ortouch screen incorporated into a display, a scroll wheel, a click wheel,a dial, a button, a switch, a keypad, audio input devices with voicecommand recognition systems, microphones, and other types of inputdevices. User interface input devices may include, for example, motionsensing and/or gesture recognition devices such as the Microsoft Kinect®motion sensor that enables users to control and interact with an inputdevice, such as the Microsoft Xbox® 360 game controller, through anatural user interface using gestures and spoken commands. Userinterface input devices may also include eye gesture recognition devicessuch as the Google Glass® blink detector that detects eye activity(e.g., ‘blinking’ while taking pictures and/or making a menu selection)from users and transforms the eye gestures as input into an input device(e.g., Google Glass®). Additionally, user interface input devices mayinclude voice recognition sensing devices that enable users to interactwith voice recognition systems (e.g., Siri® navigator), through voicecommands.

User interface input devices may also include, without limitation, threedimensional (3D) mice, joysticks or pointing sticks, gamepads andgraphic tablets, and audio/visual devices such as speakers, digitalcameras, digital camcorders, portable media players, webcams, imagescanners, fingerprint scanners, barcode reader 3D scanners, 3D printers,laser rangefinders, and eye gaze tracking devices. Additionally, userinterface input devices may include, for example, medical imaging inputdevices such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging,position emission tomography, medical ultrasonography devices. Userinterface input devices may also include, for example, audio inputdevices such as MIDI keyboards, digital musical instruments and thelike.

User interface output devices may include a display subsystem, indicatorlights, or non-visual displays such as audio output devices, etc. Thedisplay subsystem may be a cathode ray tube (CRT), a flat-panel device,such as that using a liquid crystal display (LCD) or plasma display, aprojection device, a touch screen, and the like. In general, use of theterm “output device” is intended to include all possible types ofdevices and mechanisms for outputting information from computer system2100 to a user or other computer. For example, user interface outputdevices may include, without limitation, a variety of display devicesthat visually convey text, graphics and audio/video information such asmonitors, printers, speakers, headphones, automotive navigation systems,plotters, voice output devices, and modems.

Computer system 2100 may comprise a storage subsystem 2118 thatcomprises software elements, shown as being currently located within asystem memory 2110. System memory 2110 may store program instructionsthat are loadable and executable on processing unit 2104, as well asdata generated during the execution of these programs.

Depending on the configuration and type of computer system 2100, systemmemory 2110 may be volatile (such as random access memory (RAM)) and/ornon-volatile (such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, etc.) TheRAM typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediatelyaccessible to and/or presently being operated and executed by processingunit 2104. In some implementations, system memory 2110 may includemultiple different types of memory, such as static random access memory(SRAM) or dynamic random access memory (DRAM). In some implementations,a basic input/output system (BIOS), containing the basic routines thathelp to transfer information between elements within computer system2100, such as during start-up, may typically be stored in the ROM. Byway of example, and not limitation, system memory 2110 also illustratesapplication programs 2112, which may include client applications, Webbrowsers, mid-tier applications, relational database management systems(RDBMS), etc., program data 2114, and an operating system 2116. By wayof example, operating system 2116 may include various versions ofMicrosoft Windows®, Apple Macintosh®, and/or Linux operating systems, avariety of commercially-available UNIX® or UNIX-like operating systems(including without limitation the variety of GNU/Linux operatingsystems, the Google Chrome® OS, and the like) and/or mobile operatingsystems such as iOS, Windows® Phone, Android® OS, BlackBerry® 10 OS, andPalm® OS operating systems.

Storage subsystem 2118 may also provide a tangible computer-readablestorage medium for storing the basic programming and data constructsthat provide the functionality of some embodiments. Software (programs,code modules, instructions) that when executed by a processor providethe functionality described above may be stored in storage subsystem2118. These software modules or instructions may be executed byprocessing unit 2104. Storage subsystem 2118 may also provide arepository for storing data used in accordance with the presentinvention.

Storage subsystem 2100 may also include a computer-readable storagemedia reader 2120 that can further be connected to computer-readablestorage media 2122. Together and, optionally, in combination with systemmemory 2110, computer-readable storage media 2122 may comprehensivelyrepresent remote, local, fixed, and/or removable storage devices plusstorage media for temporarily and/or more permanently containing,storing, transmitting, and retrieving computer-readable information.

Computer-readable storage media 2122 containing code, or portions ofcode, can also include any appropriate media known or used in the art,including storage media and communication media, such as but not limitedto, volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable mediaimplemented in any method or technology for storage and/or transmissionof information. This can include tangible computer-readable storagemedia such as RAM, ROM, electronically erasable programmable ROM(EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digitalversatile disk (DVD), or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes,magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices,or other tangible computer readable media. This can also includenontangible computer-readable media, such as data signals, datatransmissions, or any other medium which can be used to transmit thedesired information and which can be accessed by computing system 2100.

By way of example, computer-readable storage media 2122 may include ahard disk drive that reads from or writes to non-removable, nonvolatilemagnetic media, a magnetic disk drive that reads from or writes to aremovable, nonvolatile magnetic disk, and an optical disk drive thatreads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile optical disk such as aCD ROM, DVD, and Blu-Ray® disk, or other optical media.Computer-readable storage media 2122 may include, but is not limited to,Zip® drives, flash memory cards, universal serial bus (USB) flashdrives, secure digital (SD) cards, DVD disks, digital video tape, andthe like. Computer-readable storage media 2122 may also include,solid-state drives (SSD) based on non-volatile memory such asflash-memory based SSDs, enterprise flash drives, solid state ROM, andthe like, SSDs based on volatile memory such as solid state RAM, dynamicRAM, static RAM, DRAM-based SSDs, magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM) SSDs, andhybrid SSDs that use a combination of DRAM and flash memory based SSDs.The disk drives and their associated computer-readable media may providenon-volatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures,program modules, and other data for computer system 2100.

Communications subsystem 2124 provides an interface to other computersystems and networks. Communications subsystem 2124 serves as aninterface for receiving data from and transmitting data to other systemsfrom computer system 2100. For example, communications subsystem 2124may enable computer system 2100 to connect to one or more devices viathe Internet. In some embodiments communications subsystem 2124 caninclude radio frequency (RF) transceiver components for accessingwireless voice and/or data networks (e.g., using cellular telephonetechnology, advanced data network technology, such as 3G, 4G or EDGE(enhanced data rates for global evolution), WiFi (IEEE 802.11 familystandards, or other mobile communication technologies, or anycombination thereof), global positioning system (GPS) receivercomponents, and/or other components. In some embodiments communicationssubsystem 2124 can provide wired network connectivity (e.g., Ethernet)in addition to or instead of a wireless interface.

In some embodiments, communications subsystem 2124 may also receiveinput communication in the form of structured and/or unstructured datafeeds 2126, event streams 2128, event updates 2130, and the like onbehalf of one or more users who may use computer system 2100.

By way of example, communications subsystem 2124 may be configured toreceive data feeds 2126 in real-time from users of social networksand/or other communication services such as Twitter® feeds, Facebook®updates, web feeds such as Rich Site Summary (RSS) feeds, and/orreal-time updates from one or more third party information sources.

Additionally, communications subsystem 2124 may also be configured toreceive data in the form of continuous data streams, which may includeevent streams 2128 of real-time events and/or event updates 2130, thatmay be continuous or unbounded in nature with no explicit end. Examplesof applications that generate continuous data may include, for example,sensor data applications, financial tickers, network performancemeasuring tools (e.g. network monitoring and traffic managementapplications), clickstream analysis tools, automobile trafficmonitoring, and the like.

Communications subsystem 2124 may also be configured to output thestructured and/or unstructured data feeds 2126, event streams 2128,event updates 2130, and the like to one or more databases that may be incommunication with one or more streaming data source computers coupledto computer system 2100.

Computer system 2100 can be one of various types, including a handheldportable device (e.g., an iPhone® cellular phone, an iPad® computingtablet, a PDA), a wearable device (e.g., a Google Glass® head mounteddisplay), a PC, a workstation, a mainframe, a kiosk, a server rack, orany other data processing system.

Due to the ever-changing nature of computers and networks, thedescription of computer system 2100 depicted in the figure is intendedonly as a specific example. Many other configurations having more orfewer components than the system depicted in the figure are possible.For example, customized hardware might also be used and/or particularelements might be implemented in hardware, firmware, software (includingapplets), or a combination. Further, connection to other computingdevices, such as network input/output devices, may be employed. Based onthe disclosure and teachings provided herein, a person of ordinary skillin the art will appreciate other ways and/or methods to implement thevarious embodiments.

In the foregoing description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details were set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of various embodiments of the present invention. It willbe apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that embodiments of thepresent invention may be practiced without some of these specificdetails. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shownin block diagram form.

The foregoing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and isnot intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of thedisclosure. Rather, the foregoing description of the exemplaryembodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enablingdescription for implementing an exemplary embodiment. It should beunderstood that various changes may be made in the function andarrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Specific details are given in the foregoing description to provide athorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will beunderstood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments maybe practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits,systems, networks, processes, and other components may have been shownas components in block diagram form in order not to obscure theembodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-knowncircuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may havebeen shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring theembodiments.

Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may have been described asa process which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flowdiagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchartmay have described the operations as a sequential process, many of theoperations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition,the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminatedwhen its operations are completed, but could have additional steps notincluded in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function,a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process correspondsto a function, its termination can correspond to a return of thefunction to the calling function or the main function.

The term “computer-readable medium” includes, but is not limited toportable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices, wirelesschannels and various other mediums capable of storing, containing, orcarrying instruction(s) and/or data. A code segment ormachine-executable instructions may represent a procedure, a function, asubprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, a softwarepackage, a class, or any combination of instructions, data structures,or program statements. A code segment may be coupled to another codesegment or a hardware circuit by passing and/or receiving information,data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments,parameters, data, etc., may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via anysuitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing,network transmission, etc.

Furthermore, embodiments may be implemented by hardware, software,firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or anycombination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middlewareor microcode, the program code or code segments to perform the necessarytasks may be stored in a machine readable medium. A processor(s) mayperform the necessary tasks.

In the foregoing specification, aspects of the invention are describedwith reference to specific embodiments thereof, but those skilled in theart will recognize that the invention is not limited thereto. Variousfeatures and aspects of the above-described invention may be usedindividually or jointly. Further, embodiments can be utilized in anynumber of environments and applications beyond those described hereinwithout departing from the broader spirit and scope of thespecification. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to beregarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Additionally, for the purposes of illustration, methods were describedin a particular order. It should be appreciated that in alternateembodiments, the methods may be performed in a different order than thatdescribed. It should also be appreciated that the methods describedabove may be performed by hardware components or may be embodied insequences of machine-executable instructions, which may be used to causea machine, such as a general-purpose or special-purpose processor orlogic circuits programmed with the instructions to perform the methods.These machine-executable instructions may be stored on one or moremachine readable mediums, such as CD-ROMs or other type of opticaldisks, floppy diskettes, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic oroptical cards, flash memory, or other types of machine-readable mediumssuitable for storing electronic instructions. Alternatively, the methodsmay be performed by a combination of hardware and software.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for generating a visualization objectfrom a set of data points, the method comprising: receiving one or moredata sets and an indication of a predetermined 3D shape; generating aplurality of 3D objects, each corresponding to data points in the one ormore data sets, wherein each of the data points comprises a plurality ofattribute values; visually arranging the plurality of 3D objects in a 3Denvironment into the predetermined 3D shape such that the predetermined3D shape is formed by the plurality of 3D objects; and controlling theappearance and motion of the 3D objects within the predetermined 3Dshape based on the plurality of attribute values for the correspondingdata points in the one or more data sets.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the predetermined 3D shape comprises a funnel object.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, wherein the 3D objects comprise spheres that arearranged to form the funnel object.
 4. The method of claim 3, whereinthe spheres rotate around a circumference of the funnel object.
 5. Themethod of claim 4, wherein the spheres rotate at a speed and/or radiusthat is determined by the attribute values for the corresponding datapoints.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the spheres are colored basedon the attribute values of the corresponding data points.
 7. The methodof claim 2, wherein the funnel object is divided into a plurality ofsections.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of 3D objectsare located in the plurality of sections based on the attribute valuesfor the corresponding data points.
 9. A non-transitory computer-readablemedium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or moreprocessors, cause the one or more processors to perform operationscomprising: receiving one or more data sets and an indication of apredetermined 3D shape; generating a plurality of 3D objects, eachcorresponding to data points in the one or more data sets, wherein eachof the data points comprises a plurality of attribute values; visuallyarranging the plurality of 3D objects in a 3D environment into thepredetermined 3D shape such that the predetermined 3D shape is formed bythe plurality of 3D objects; and controlling the appearance and motionof the 3D objects within the predetermined 3D shape based on theplurality of attribute values for the corresponding data points in theone or more data sets.
 10. The non-transitory computer-readable mediumof claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise: displaying ananimation or path for one of the 3D objects over time.
 11. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprisinginserting timestamps into the predetermined 3D shape at a plurality ofpoints along the animation or path.
 12. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the animation comprisesthe 3D object rotating around the predetermined 3D shape over time. 13.The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein a speedof the animation is based on attributes of the corresponding data pointsin the one or more data sets.
 14. The non-transitory computer-readablemedium of claim 10, wherein the animation or path is represented by aspline object in a virtual environment.
 15. A system comprising: one ormore processors; and one or more memory devices comprising instructionsthat, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or moreprocessors to perform operations comprising: receiving one or more datasets and an indication of a predetermined 3D shape; generating aplurality of 3D objects, each corresponding to data points in the one ormore data sets, wherein each of the data points comprises a plurality ofattribute values; visually arranging the plurality of 3D objects in a 3Denvironment into the predetermined 3D shape such that the predetermined3D shape is formed by the plurality of 3D objects; and controlling theappearance and motion of the 3D objects within the predetermined 3Dshape based on the plurality of attribute values for the correspondingdata points in the one or more data sets.
 16. The system of claim 15,wherein the operations further comprise: providing a plurality of viewsof the plurality of 3D objects in a virtual environment to a pluralityof client devices.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality ofclient devices comprises a virtual reality headset.
 18. The system ofclaim 15, wherein the predetermined 3D shape comprises a funnel object.19. The system of claim 18, wherein the 3D objects comprise spheres thatare arranged to form the funnel object.
 20. The system of claim 19,wherein the spheres rotate around a circumference of the funnel object.